IRISH golfer Padraig Harrington has declared that he owes all his success to a Southport man.

IRISH golfer Padraig Harrington has declared that he owes all his success to a Southport man.

Following consecutive Open victories and a US PGA win, Harrington has shot up to third in the world rankings this year, dedicating it all to Birkdale coach Howard Bennett.

Seventy-one-year-old Bennett, of Grosvenor Road, was Harrington’s mentor at the National Golfing Union of Ireland for 10 years and the 36-year-old Dubliner never forgets the impact he had on his game.

Harrington came to Bennett as a fresh-faced 16-year-old with a three handicap, but within a year the coach had got him playing off scratch.

The 2007 and 2008 Open champion was tutored by Howard for eight years as an amateur and two as a professional before moving onto work with coaches like Bob Torrance and Bob Rotella.

But the two remain very close and off the back of his greatest year as a golfer, Harrington eulogised about Bennett’s impact on his game.

He said: “Not a day goes by that I don’t play a round or hit a shot and not be reminded of Howard.

“He has played a big part in what I have done as a player. He’ll never know how much I owe him – nor will Paul McGinley or all the other guys he coached.

“He often said that practice makes permanent and that is just one of the many things I have taken with me.

“As a coach, he worked harder than anyone else in the squad, as hard as any of us who played – he wanted to improve as a coach, just as much as we did as players.

“He got us to look at sports psychology and to understand the importance of physical fitness. He helped mould your character and the way you lived your life.”

Howard said: “It was clear that Padraig wanted it badly. He wanted to be a good golfer, play for the national side and play in the Walker Cup.

“Technically he wasn’t good, but he’ll tell you that himself, and we worked very hard on his short game.

“We knew he was something special, but you’re never sure, other guys were technically better than him but they weren’t prepared to work at it – he just wanted it so badly.

“As well as the three D’s of discipline, dedication and desire, we also stressed the three P’s of patience, perseverance and correct practice.

“He thanked me for his shot on the 18th at Carnoustie (in route to the 2007 Open win), when he wedged it to within six or seven feet of the hole, because we worked on that shot for so many years.

“The last time I chatted with Padraig was at Royal Birkdale during his practice days before the Open. He said he felt really comfortable – he handles everything so well. All the lads had the same opportunity but Padraig picked it up and ran with it.”